University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, February 20
Tempe, AZ
11:30 AM
University of Minnesota
7-4
7
vs
6
California
6-3
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2
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4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Minnesota
2
0
0
0
0
4
0
1
7
11
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California
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0
6
13
2
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Rally Past Cal in Extra-Inning Victory
2/20/2022 5:00:00 PM | Softball
TEMPE, Ariz. - It took extra innings before Minnesota rallied for a thrilling, 7-6 win over Cal closing the weekend's Littlewood Classic Sunday at Farrington Stadium.
After scoring four times in the sixth to overcome a two-run deficit, the Gophers had to hold off a furious rally by the Bears and stranded the potential winning run at third base with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh. A RBI single from Kayla Chavez proved to be the game winner in extra innings as Minnesota won its fourth-straight game.
The Gophers put two runs on the board in the first as Lauren Espalin and Natalie DenHartog hit one-out singles. Makenna Dowell brought both runners home on an infield single. Cal got the runs back in the bottom of the first opening on a bunt single followed by a two-run home run.
A lead-off walk to the Bears came around to score on a two-out RBI double in the second as the designated home team moved in front, 3-2. The Gophers got the potential tying run into scoring position as Megan Dray lined a double to right in the fourth inning, but was stranded at third base. Cal was able to stretch its lead cashing in on a lead-off double the next frame.
Minnesota's bats came alive in the top of the sixth striking for four runs after two outs had been registered. Dray started the rally hitting a single and Sydney Strelow followed with a no-doubt, two-run blast to even the score, 4-4. The inning continued when pinch hitter Ali Lindner drew a walk and MacKenzie Denson reached via a Cal error. Espalin wasted no time doing damage against a new pitcher and laced a two-run double to left giving the Gophers a 6-4 edge.
Three-straight singles by the Bears began the bottom of the seventh and led to two runs on consecutive wild pitches with the bases loaded to tie the score, 6-6. Cal then had two in scoring position and no outs before Leavitt forced three of the next four batters to pop up pushing the game into extra innings. After Strelow dropped down a sacrifice bunt moving Dray to third, Chavez tallied a RBI single putting the Gophers back in front, 7-6. The defense thwarted the Bears in the bottom of the eighth securing the victory.
Leavitt went the distance for the Gophers needing 181 pitches in the complete-game victory and struck out five. Espalin and DenHartog each posted three hits, while Dray scored twice during a multi-hit effort.
UP NEXT
Minnesota is back on the road at the Niner Invitational Feb. 25-27 at Charlotte opening Friday at 11:30 a.m. (CT) against Northern Iowa.
After scoring four times in the sixth to overcome a two-run deficit, the Gophers had to hold off a furious rally by the Bears and stranded the potential winning run at third base with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh. A RBI single from Kayla Chavez proved to be the game winner in extra innings as Minnesota won its fourth-straight game.
The Gophers put two runs on the board in the first as Lauren Espalin and Natalie DenHartog hit one-out singles. Makenna Dowell brought both runners home on an infield single. Cal got the runs back in the bottom of the first opening on a bunt single followed by a two-run home run.
A lead-off walk to the Bears came around to score on a two-out RBI double in the second as the designated home team moved in front, 3-2. The Gophers got the potential tying run into scoring position as Megan Dray lined a double to right in the fourth inning, but was stranded at third base. Cal was able to stretch its lead cashing in on a lead-off double the next frame.
Minnesota's bats came alive in the top of the sixth striking for four runs after two outs had been registered. Dray started the rally hitting a single and Sydney Strelow followed with a no-doubt, two-run blast to even the score, 4-4. The inning continued when pinch hitter Ali Lindner drew a walk and MacKenzie Denson reached via a Cal error. Espalin wasted no time doing damage against a new pitcher and laced a two-run double to left giving the Gophers a 6-4 edge.
Three-straight singles by the Bears began the bottom of the seventh and led to two runs on consecutive wild pitches with the bases loaded to tie the score, 6-6. Cal then had two in scoring position and no outs before Leavitt forced three of the next four batters to pop up pushing the game into extra innings. After Strelow dropped down a sacrifice bunt moving Dray to third, Chavez tallied a RBI single putting the Gophers back in front, 7-6. The defense thwarted the Bears in the bottom of the eighth securing the victory.
Leavitt went the distance for the Gophers needing 181 pitches in the complete-game victory and struck out five. Espalin and DenHartog each posted three hits, while Dray scored twice during a multi-hit effort.
UP NEXT
Minnesota is back on the road at the Niner Invitational Feb. 25-27 at Charlotte opening Friday at 11:30 a.m. (CT) against Northern Iowa.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Leavitt, Emily (4-3)
L: Annabel Teperson (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Espalin, Lauren 1 ; Dray, Megan 1
HR: Strelow, Sydney 1
RBI: Espalin, Lauren 2 ; Dowell, Makenna 2 ; Strelow, Sydney 2 ; Chavez, Kayla 1
SH: Strelow, Sydney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Denson, MacKenzie 1 ; Espalin, Lauren 1 ; DenHartog, Natalie 1 ; Dray, Megan 2 ; Strelow, Sydney 1 ; Chavez, Kayla 1
SB: DenHartog, Natalie 1
Batting:
2B: Tatum Anzaldo 1 ; Kacey Zobac 1 ; Amani Bradley 1
HR: Acacia Anders 1
RBI: Tatum Anzaldo 1 ; Acacia Anders 2 ; Kennedy Thomas 1
SH: Sophie Medellin 1 ; Kennedy Thomas 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tatum Anzaldo 1 ; Acacia Anders 2 ; Makena Smith 1 ; Kacey Zobac 1 ; Sophie Medellin 1
SB: Diamond Holland 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballC/1B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
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